Bowling game



March 3, 1970 l c. DELLIS 3,498,612

BOWLING GAME Filed May 15, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

INVENTOR. CARTER D. ELLIS 0. D. ELLIS March 3, 1970 BOWLING GAME Filed May is, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 FIG. 7'

INVENTOR.

CARTER DJ ELLIS United States Patent 3,498,612 BOWLING GAME Carter D. Ellis, RD. 2, Fairview, Pa. 16415 Filed May 15, 1967, Ser. No. 638,222 Int. Cl. A63d /00 U.S. Cl. 273-41 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The game disclosed herein has a special interest for the ordinary person interested in bowling since it simulates a bowling game in that it is carried out by a plurality of ten pins supported on a supporting surface above a planar playing surface. A top or spinner and a special saddle fixture and handle for supporting the spinner while actuating it are provided. The spinner can be spun so that in spinning, it travels over the planar surface and it may travel below the support surface, engaging downwardly extending actuating members which, in turn, engage the ten pins and will knock them over or upset them to simulate a bowling game. Considerable skill is necessary and may be developed by the player to spin the spinner in a manner that will result in high scores as by strikes and spares familiar to bowlers.

This invention relates to games and, more particularly, to a simulated bowling game.

It is, accordingly, an object of the invention to provide an improved game.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved simulated bowling game.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a game that is simple in construction, economical to manufacture and simple and interesting to play.

With the above and other objects in View, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the game according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of one of the pins shown broken away from the rest of the game;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of the pin;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged top view of the supporting surface;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detailed view of the pin;

FIG. 7 is a view of part of the base member;

FIGS. 8 and 11 are two views of the bearing;

FIGS. 9 and 12 are two views of the blade members;

FIG. 10 is a front view of the pin of FIG. 6.

Now with more particular reference to the drawings, the bowling game shown has a planar playing surface 10 that may be, for example, eight inches Wide and fifteen inches long. The playing surface has upwardly extending side member 22 that carry plate-like support member 11 adjacent the remote end of the playing surface. The pins 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21 are supported on support member 11. The lower side of support member 11 may be supported approximately three inches above the planar surface 10. The spinner 24 will have a height slightly less than the distance between the mem- :ber 11 and surface 10 and below any obstructions on the surface. The spinner 24 has cylindrical inertia portion "ice 25 and a pin portion 26. The lower end of 27 of the pin portion 26 is fiat so that when the spinner spins, the spinner 24 will travel about the planar surface 10.

The saddle member 28 has an end groove 30 in it and a peripheral groove 29. The end groove 30 is suitable to loosely receive the pin portion 26. The handle 31 has a rubber band 32 which extends around the handle and its end passes through the slot in the handle at 81. The band 32 provides a frictional surface and extends around the handle and will engage the pin portion 26 of the spinner when the pin is resting in the groove. The handle 25 is generally rectangular in cross section and is of a width suitable to be received in the peripheral groove 29 so that the player can pull the handle and rubber band across the pin member at 26 and thereby cause the pin member 26 to rotate in groove 30 and when the handle is removed, the top will spin.

The pins, 12 through 21, each have a downwardly facing shoulder 34 that rests on the support surface 11 of the support member and a downwardly extending portion 35 extends through grooves 36 and engages the blade members 37. The blade members 37 have journals 38 that are received in the bearings 39 and 40. The bearing 39 has a laterally extending opening 82 in it and the bearing 40 has a groove 83 connected to the opening 85. The blade member can have its bearing 38 inserted in the opening 82 in bearing 39 and the end of the other bearing 38 can be slid through the opening 41 into the opening 40.

The support member 11 rests freely on the side members 22 and is shown in located position by means of the locating members which are fixed to the side members 22 and extend through openings in the support member 11. Thus, the front end of the support member 11 adjacent the pin 21 can be lifted and rocked up around the pins 90, thus, when the front of the support member 11 is lifted up so that the support member 11 inclines approximately 30 degrees, the spinner 24 can be manually removed from under the support surface after a first play and the pins that have been knocked down by that play will stay down.

If the support member 11 is lifted so that it inclines approximately 45 degrees, the pins that have been knocked down will all pivot backward to the upright position.

It will be noted that when a pin is swung forward, the base member 66 will enter the window 65 on that particular pin and prevent the pin from being lifted out of its groove 36 either when resetting or otherwise.

There are four relatively long blades 43, 44, 45 and 46. Blade 43 extends along in front of or overlaps the downwardly extending members on pins 12 and 13. The blade 44 extends along or overlaps the lower end of pins 14 and 15. The blades 45 and 46 extend in front of pins 19 and 16 respectively but they both overlap the downwardly extending end of pin 18. The blades 47 and 48 lie in front of the downwardly extending members of pins 17 and 20 respectively and the blade 37 lies in front of the downwardly extending member 35 on pin 21. Thus, when the spinner 24 spins and travels under the supporting surface, it will engage the various blades 37, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, and 48 and knock the pins forward. A considerable amount of skill is required to direct the spinner to a position to knock all of the pins down at one time or knock all of them down in two tries to simulate a strike or a spare in bowling.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A simulated bowling game comprising a bottom member having a planar top surface,

a support member spaced above said planar surface,

a plurality of pin members and swingably supported on said support member and adapted to swing from avertical position to an inclined position,

blade members engaging said pins and extending downward below said support member,

said blade terminating at a spaced distance above said planar surface,

a spinner, said spinner having a height less than the space between said planar surface and said support member and greater than the space between said planar surface and said blade,

means to spin said spinner whereby said spinner spins and moves over said planar surface under said support member,

said spinner being adapted to swing said blade members to swing said pin members to inclined positions,

said blade members are hingedly connected to said support member,

said pin members having means extending downward from said support member and engaging said blade member,

each said pin member being adapted to swing forward when a particular said blade member is engaged by said spinner,

said pins are shaped to simulate bowling pins,

and said pins have a downwardly facing shoulder on their lower end, and

a downward extending portion engaging said blade,

said blades are generally plate-like members swingably attached to said support member at an intermediate position between their upper and lower edges,

said blade members are disposed in front of said downwardly extending portions.

2. A simulated bowling game comprising a bottom member having a planar top surface,

a support member spaced above said planar surface,

a plurality of pin members and swingably supported on said support member and adapted to swing from a vertical position to an inclined position,

blade members engaging said pins and extending downward below said support member,

said blade terminating at a spaced distance above said planar surface,

a spinner, said spinner having a height less than the space between said planar surface and said support member and greater than the space between said planar surface and said blade,

means to spin said spinner whereby said spinner spins and moves over said planar surface under said sup port member,

said spinner being adapted to swing said blade members to swing said pin members to inclined positions,

said blade members are hingedly connected to said support member,

said pin members having means extending downwardd from said support member and engaging said blade member,

each said pin member being adapted to swing forward when a particular said blade member is engaged by said spinner,

said pins are shaped to simulate bowling pins, and said pins have a downwardly facing shoulder on their lower end, and

a downwardly extending portion engaging said blade,

said blades are generally plate-like members swingably attached to said support member at an intermediate position between their upper and lower edges,

said blade members are disposed in front of said downwardly extending portions,

said pins are arranged on said support member to simulate ten pins.

3. A simulated bowling game comprising a bottom member having a planar top surf-ace,

a support member spaced above said planar surface,

a plurality of pin members and swingably supported on said support member and adapted to swing from a vertical position to an inclined position,

blade members engaging said pins and extending downward below said support member,

said blade terminating at a spaced distance above said planar surface,

a spinner, said spinner having a height less than the space betwen said planar surface and said support member and greater than the space between said planar surface and said blade,

means to spin said spinner whereby said spinner spins and moves over said planar surface under said support member,

said spinner being adapted to swing said blade members to swing said pin members to inclined positions,

said blade members are hingedly connected to said support member,

said pin members having means extending downward from said support member and engaging said blade member,

each said pin member being adapted to swing forward when a particular said blade member is engaged by said spinner,

said pins are shaped to simulate bowling pins,

and said pins have a downwardly facing shoulder on their lower end, and

a downwardly extending portion engaging said blade,

said blades are generally plate-like members swingably attached to said support member at an intermediate position between their upper and lower edges,

said blade members are disposed in front of said downwardly extending portions,

said downwardly extending portion of said pins having a window therein,

and a base member on said support member,

said base member being adapted to enter said window to hold said pin from removal from said support member when said pin is inclined forwardly.

4. A simulated bowling game comprising a bottom member having a planar top surface,

a support member spaced above said planar surface,

a plurality of pin members and swingably supported on said support member and adapted to swing from a vertical position to an inclined position,

blade members engaging said pins and extending downward below said support member,

said blade terminating at a spaced distance above said planar surface,

a spinner, said spinner having a height less than the space between said planar surface and said support member and greater than the space between said planar surface and said blade,

means to spin said spinner whereby said spinner spins and moves over said planar surface under said support member,

said spinner being adapted to swing said blade members to swing said pin members to inclined positions,

said blade members are hingedly connected to said support member,

said pin members having means extending downward from said support member and engaging said blade member,

each said pin member being adapted to swing forward when a particular said blade member is engaged by said spinner,

said pins are shaped to simulate bowling pins,

and said pins have a downwardly facing shoulder on their lower end, and

a downwardly extending portion engaging said blade,

said blades are generally plate-like members swingably attached to said support member at an intermediate position between their upper and lower edges,

said blade members are disposed in front of said downwardly extending portions,

said pins are arranged on said support member to simulate ten pins,

said support surface is supported on said support members and adapted to be swung to an inclination of approximately 45 degrees to said bottom members whereby said pin members swing to vertical position,

said support surface being adapted to be lifted slightly to allow recovery of said spinner.

6 References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS 12/1919 Great Britain.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner T. ZACK, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

